Interesting how the day offers different interpretations and ideas for people. I guess I've just chosen to see it as a say of romantic gestures, since childhood really, since I like romance. Still, even the idea of Romance is very much open to interpretation, and I am sure the original valentines day has some major catholic or christian origins which wouldn't fit so well into my own ideas. However, whilst I can fully understand the moans, groans and flames of wrath and scorn emerging from some cynical mouths and minds, and agree that its often a hugely commercial venture aimed at shuffling the masses into spending more money, and also 'why should anyone need a reminder to show some love, affection, desire to another??'...all that is well and good and sound in argument, but at the same time, I see no harm at all, and in fact, lots of joy and happiness, in people feeling obliged to show some extra special love once in a while. Whatever the push, its a warm and lovely sentiment to be expressing.

What is romantic about it? If you need society to pick out a day for you to be 'romantic' on, then there's something wrong with your views on romance. It's even dumber than Mother's/Father's Day if you ask me.

Its not about 'need'...I don't think people who make some form of out of the ordinary gesture on Valentines day have the wrong view of romance. As I mentioned before...if the net result is that people are showing love to those they love, then surely only a cold hearted close to already dead soul could ponder such a thing as wrong???

Eh... I have 365 days a year to show loved ones I care. Valentine's Day is no different to me than any other day, except I can't take two steps outside without seeing some cheesy lovey-dovey crap pushed into my face. Other people enjoy it, I'm sure, but it just makes me feel uneasy.

Weedguru_Fire_Inside wrote:Just like Christmas, easter and all the other 'Speacial days', this one actually means nothing.

You should treat your loved one the same, all day, every day. If this changes on one certain day, there's something wrong with the way you view love and romance.

I am certain that I make more romantic gestures in a month than most men make in a year or even a decade...its natural for me to do so, and less natural for others to do so. It seems incredibly harsh, fire, to suggest there is something wrong with the way love and romance are viewed if a name on a calender suggests a day to make a romantic gesture. I guess I have more interest than others in these periods when lots of humans are focused in the same direction, the kind of energy that produces, in a society, of a family, of a town, of a state or county, and so on...Its the same interest to me of experiencing a wedding in a church, and the solemn silence, the shared belief in many of the congregation of not only perhaps a god, perhaps something powerful that links us all, but also the idea of love itself, and how it can bond two people, and how special it is, sacred and blessed even, to share in a moment they decide to place symbols of their love upon their bodies, in the form of rings...and share en mass with their closest people, their union.

I find such moments interesting...as I find lots of hearts or minds focused in one direction always interesting. It leads me to ponder such things as...perhaps together we could create a breeze, or a rise in the tide. Perhaps on a day when most people are with family and close friends, christmas for example, does the crime rate decrease for that day????

Its not at all a case of my allegiance to any religious ideology, and my own 'marraige' is likely to include tatoos rather than rings of gold. I simply like pondering communion of hearts souls and minds.

I also find it quite sweet, in a playful way, for people to use valentines day as a push of sorts, to make a gesture they would otherwise feel too shy to make, part in the belief that their romantic cause may well have a bit of help on such a day. Some would find that stupid, but I find it sweet, and magical in a way. Part of romance to me is magic and naturally mysterious. And I would never slate anyone for making a gesture on Valentines day, as I would never slate anyone for spending christmas with their loved ones. not for eating chocolate at easter...its all positive, and all fun.

I guess my point is that whatever the reasoning, a suggestion, expectation of society, to make a romantic gesture, is something positive. I agree that if a person has no natural tendency to be romantic, then why bother on valentines day. That makes perfect sense. That isn't, however, what I was attempting to express...

My view is that romance ought to be sustained regardless of the date. it's perfectly fine to be romantic. The more so, the better. However, I know not what the criteria is that makes this day any more worthy of romance than the next.

Early Affection
BY GEORGE MOSES HORTON
I lov’d thee from the earliest dawn,
When first I saw thy beauty’s ray,
And will, until life’s eve comes on,
And beauty’s blossom fades away;
And when all things go well with thee,
With smiles and tears remember me.

I’ll love thee when thy morn is past,
And wheedling gallantry is o’er,
When youth is lost in age’s blast,
And beauty can ascend no more,
And when life’s journey ends with thee,
O, then look back and think of me.

I’ll love thee with a smile or frown,
’Mid sorrow’s gloom or pleasure’s light,
And when the chain of life runs down,
Pursue thy last eternal flight,
When thou hast spread thy wing to flee,
Still, still, a moment wait for me.

I’ll love thee for those sparkling eyes,
To which my fondness was betray’d,
Bearing the tincture of the skies,
To glow when other beauties fade,
And when they sink too low to see,
Reflect an azure beam on me.

Learn this by heart, and recite it to her. accompanied with some flowers of your chosing. Maybe some for-get-me-not's as opposed to the more classical rose.